Newborn Baby Arriving?

Newborn Baby

So..You have packed your bag. It’s near a door and hopefully no one will forget it when you rush off to have your baby! What is in the bag?

Clothes for you, clothes for the baby, tooth brush…etc and did you throw your camera in there? Is the battery charged? An extra battery? Do you have extra memory cards…Just in case you all end up taking tons of fun photos and even do a few short videos?

While you are busy welcoming your new arrival, who is telling the story? Wouldn’t it be great to have a journal of this most important and beautiful few days? Have a plan ready.

10 Good Photography Tips for your Baby’s Arrival:

1) Do you want a photo of your baby’s first few seconds? The best angle is: Stand behind the mom and point the camera down, not to low as you also want to show the surroundings and may be the doctors and nurses. When the baby is coming out start to photograph. When the baby is just above the moms belly: photograph Did they place the baby on the mom’s belly? Photograph that too! Keep shooting. These are the most precious minutes of your baby’s arrival! 2) After the baby is clean and all wrapped up: Photograph from different angles.

Take funny photos. Make this all about what is happening!

Try to place the baby near a window to get more natural light. Those hospital lights can get pretty ugly!

3) The camera: Place the camera at the baby’s level. This will give more depth to your photos.

4) Choose good backgrounds: This can be a challenge as you may not have much of a choice. Here are some ideas that will help you tell the hospital story:

5) Place the baby in front of the mom on the baby’s bed. When you frame, make the baby the main subject and show the mom in the background. (try to have the open window to the side so that you will have a good light)

6) Mom and baby: On the bed or on the chair depending on how mom is feeling. Get close up and make it about them. This is the beginning of their bonding.

7) Mom, Dad and baby (ask someone to take this very important photograph). This is the beginning of the family or the continuation of the family if you already have a child!

8) Visitors: Photograph the important visitors around the baby’s bed. This way your baby will know who the welcome committee was!

9) Photograph of the mom and the baby leaving the hospital together. Keep shooting a lot! Balloons. Baby and mom near the door (silhouette). Baby and Mom in the car.

10) Photograph the arrival to the home.

***** Have a tripod ready at home so that you can do family portraits and selfies with the baby!

Marguerite Beaty

PS: Make your partner the chief photographer while you are at the hospital and ask other to help.

Become your family’s photographer when you get home!

A Few Ideas for cameras:

Sony nex 7 (for those of you who want to shoot in the AUTO mode or manual mode)